The introduction of energy efficiency measures to reduce resource consumption and carbon emissions is pushing the adoption of environmental technologies & services in the building sector. Facility managers, apart from technical proficiency, require a mix of digital & environmental skills to respond to the use of energy efficiency technologies systems and support carbon emission reduction in buildings. However, the environmental sustainability skills needs of facility managers are only partially supported by VET programs & apprenticeships. DEFMA project aimed to tackle this challenge by delivering a modular VET course and OERs on environmental technologies & sustainable building services to empower facility managers across the EU with modern digital and environmental knowledge, skills and competences. In particular, project objectives involved: 1) Enhancing the labour market relevance of VET for facility managers to address digital and environmental needs, 2) Introducing modern training delivery methods and innovative open access pedagogical resources, enabling learners to acquire and self-assess digital & environmental skills, and 3) Facilitating mutual recognition of the developed learning outcomes across the EU. At the start of the project, the partnership comprised 6 organisations from 5 EU countries, from the world of VET, the Facility Management segment, energy efficiency research, as well as learning innovation experts: South West College (SWC) led the project by bringing the expertise in innovative technologies research for the building construction sector and in the design of energy efficiency courses; National School of Services (SNS) and Vilnius Building Training Centre (VSRC) brought the expertise in the design & delivery of VET programs across a broad spectrum of Facility Management services; The Bulgarian Facility Management Association (BGFMA) represented the occupational needs and workplace realities; PROMEA contributed as an expert in R&D and delivery of innovative ICT-based methodologies for VET, and Summit Skills, a standard setting organisation, participated as experienced in developing standards and qualifications from the wider building sector. Soon after the kick-off meeting (October 2016), the joint project management scheme (SWC and PROMEA) was notified about the withdrawal of project partner’s Summit Skills. Following this, a revised work plan for the project with suggested allocations of tasks and budgets was submitted to the national agency, with the consultation and agreement of all DEFMA partners. Following the acceptance of the plan by the UK NA (ECORYS), a new supplementary partnership agreement for the project was developed. Main project activities involved: analysis of current and future workforce training needs to develop updated and tailored to occupational needs, modern environmental technologies and services learning outcomes, development of modular learning units for a comprehensive VET programme in environmental technologies and sustainable building services, development of pedagogical resources and assessment tools to be offered as Open Education Resources, development, testing, and delivery of a Massive Open Online Course on environmental technologies and services, promoting the adoption of innovative practices in VET, involvement of key policy makers & stakeholders for the endorsement and mutual recognition of DEFMA units of learning outcomes, sharing and validation of outputs with multiplier events, inviting target groups to uptake DEFMA results and to act as further disseminators. The DEFMA project led to the following results and impact: VET world and occupation validated learning outcomes for training provision in environmental technologies & sustainable building services for facility managers.Formal VET learning units and VET integration guidelines.Pedagogical resources and assessment tools for environmental technologies & services, offered as OERs.DEFMA Massive Open Online Course on environmental technologies and sustainable building services for facility managers.A signed agreement on the validation, endorsement & mutual recognition of the DEFMA units of learning outcomes.A sect oral recommendations paper to support decision-making and pave the way for future developments in VET policies.Two demonstration workshops and three national info days to promote project results and validate all developed materials.Finally, long term benefits of the project involve: the uptake of project materials and open educational resources from relevant VET providers across the EU, participation of a growing number of initial and continuous VET learners in courses based on project outputs, expansion of the strategic partnership towards a network of collaborating VET and sector stakeholders, further maturing & development of national and EU VET policies targeted to the occupation influenced by DEFMA recommendations, and cross border certification of skills acquired.

"BACKGROUND & CHALLENGESWith over 250 million smart meters for electricity, gas, water expected to be installed in EU by 2020, the work of construction site managers is already undergoing change, requiring appropriate up-skilling with combined, green and digital, competences, to supervise the commission, installation, and operation of smart metering solutions. The new challenge for the traditional construction training sector is to further expand to the newly introduced field of modern environmental technologies. The current status of site managers’ skills development in relevance to smart metering is not sufficiently, comprehensively and consistently, supported by VET programs in an EU level. AIMThe project aims to support VET provision for site managers in smart metering addressing the needs of VET providers, learners, and the sector by: a) addressing modern training needs in terms of practicality, flexibility, cost-effectiveness and EU accessibility, b) developing Open Educational Resources that ensure easy and free access to on-line educational material, and c) promoting a framework towards the development of an EU qualification on smart metering skills for site managers.OBJECTIVESOBJ-1. Develop appropriate learning outcomes and modular course to address power, gas, and water smart metering skills needs.OBJ-2. Introduce modern training methods in the form of OERs and MOOC.OBJ-3. Facilitate mutual recognition of the developed learning outcomes across EU.THE COSMET PARTNERSHIPThe partnership comprises 6 organisations from 6 countries from the world of VET, the industry, and research/field experts. Summit Skills, as the UK’s standard setting organisation for building services engineering, works with the sector to develop standards and qualifications. The Polish Association of Building Managers (PABM) represents the construction managers’ sector needs at national and EU-wide level. The Hellenic Society for the Promotion of Research and Development Methodologies (PROMEA) is an expert in innovative VET methodologies and MOOC development. The Department of Architectural Constructions of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) leads the research in innovative technologies for the construction sector. The Vocational Training Institute of the Construction Industry in North-Rhine Westphalia (BFW NRW) and the Vilnius Builders Training Centre (VSRC) are specialising in developing job-specific VET programs and courses. ACTIVITIES & METHODOLOGY1. Development of learning outcomes, based on evidence collected from VET providers, field experts and the construction industry via original desk and field research on skills requirements, leading to specific definitions of knowledge, skills and competences following ECVET. 2. Development of a modular course (in the form of OERs and MOOC) and VET guidelines for the integration of the COSMET modules in current and future training programmes.3. Involvement of public authorities for the future certification & accreditation of the COSMET curricula, through the development and promotion of a support statement and action plan. 5. Sharing and validation of outputs with multiplier events, inviting target groups to test and uptake COSMET results acting as further disseminators.RESULTS 1. Evidence-based learning outcomes in comprehensive skills for site managers to supervise the commission, installation, maintenance of smart meters in construction sites.2. VET learning units for a corresponding modular course. 3. VET guidelines for the integration of the developed learning outcomes into existing programmes. 4. Pedagogical resources and assessment tools offered as OERs.5. A COSMET Massive Open Online Course.5. Framework for the recognition of the developed learning outcomes towards a ""smart metering for site managers"" EU qualification.6. A registry of EU qualifications on smart metering technologies. 6. Two demonstration workshops (LT and DE) to promote results and validate learning materials.7. Four national information days (UK, ES, EL, PL) to disseminate results.IMPACT AND POST-PROJECT SUSTAINABILITYThe COSMET project is expected to have the following impact and longer term benefits:1. Promoting participation of a growing number of VET learners using the COSMET OERs and MOOC via their availability and dissemination, exploitation and maintenance activities for three years after the project’s completion based on the partners own effort.2. Supporting at least 20 VET providers across the EU on enhancing new training programs by integrating the COSMET outputs. 3. Further maturing of certification & accreditation policies, as a result of the developed by the project framework towards the development of an EU qualification on smart metering for site managers, and in particular via the dissemination and signing of the COSMET support statement and action plan to authorities and policy makers."

"NEEDS AND CONTEXTThe improvement of energy efficiency of buildings creates a strong growth in the demand for ""green"" water technologies. ""Green"" skills are in shortage among water technicians, requiring digital competences, literacy on device embedded software and technical skills combined with environmental knowledge. Modern water technicians should possess customer consultation ""soft"" skills promoting environmental sustainability and cost effectiveness. Training in new water efficiency technologies skills is necessary to enable water companies, construction companies, employers and employees in the water industry to respond to the modern sector challenges, improving employability and mobility within the EU. PROJECT OBJECTIVESThe AQUAVET project forms a Strategic Partnership to promote long term cooperation of sectoral stakeholders connecting the world of employment and the world of VET providers with main objectives to:Obj1: Provide a validated curriculum on the mastery of water efficiency technologies for water technicians.Obj2: Re-skill and up-skill water technicians on ""green"" skills with open access innovative instructional resources and model on-line training.Obj3: Develop pedagogical resources and guidelines for VET providers to address current and emerging water efficiency technologies training needs. Obj4: Contribute to the implementation of EU policies on mobility and transparency in qualifications within the water technicians sector.PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTSThe Strategic Partnership consists of 5 partners from 4 countries (GR, UK, ES, NL): P1. Hellenic Society for the Promotion of Research & Development Methodologies (PROMEA, GR) is an entity with experience in the development of new technologies for pedagogical purposes and in the coordination of EU co-funded research and cooperation. P2. The National Skills Academy for Environmental Technologies (NSAET, UK) coordinates a wide national network of training providers that deliver accredited training and qualifications in low carbon & renewable energy within the built environment. P3. The Spanish Association of Plumbing, Gas, Heating and Air Conditioning Constructors (CONAIF, ES) is a non-profit association that represents 90% of the Spanish Plumbing Enterprises. P4. Wateropleidingen (WWA, NL) is the leading VET institution in the Netherlands specialised in water technicians' training needs. P5. The National Institute of Labour and Human Resources (NILHR, GR) is the main public body advising the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Welfare on national human resources' policies and actions.DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES AND RESULTSThe project consists of 5 intellectual outputs, 7 multiplier events (3 training pilots, 4 infodays) and 2 train-the-trainer seminars-L/T/T activities).The main project's results will be: 1. Recommendations and specifications on how to respond to the modern training needs of water technicians on water efficiency technologies.2. A validated vocational training course on the 'mastery of new water efficiency technologies compiling learning outcomes and learning units regarding ""hard"" and ""soft"" skills.3. Instructional/pedagogical resources and assessment tools for water efficiency technologies VET.4. Validated open educational resources (AQUAVET MOOC) on ""green"" water efficiency technologies.5. Memorandum of Understanding, endorsed by key sector representatives and national authorities, on the mutual recognition of the AQUAVET training materials within the EU.6. Two “train-the-trainer” learning activities.7. Three training pilots to promote AQUAVET results and validate training materials.8. Four infodays in partners' countries to share and disseminate AQUAVET results. IMPACT ENVISASED AND LONGER TERM BENEFITSThe project improves the skills of water technicians in Europe within the water and building installation sector, by meeting current and emerging workplace demands as regards water efficiency new ""green"" skills. Older and under-skilled water technicians reduce skill deficiencies to respond to new technological developments by adding modern digital skills to their portfolio. Longer term benefits are envisaged among VET providers, water and construction employers, employment-related public and private authorities and water industry stakeholders through the: a) integration of the AQUAVET learning units in existing and new training provisions, b) adaptation of the project's learning units and training methodologies, c) facilitation of the mutual recognition of water efficiency technologies qualification within EU on the basis of pedagogical resources harmonised with EU frameworks and tools (EQF, ECVET). It is expected that the 60 trainers trained in the context of the project's training activities have a potential to defuse the project's pedagogical resources to up to 60.000 trainees, in the context of their own full-time vocational training activities."